Thirty residents’ associations have united to stop a proposed 17,000-unit housing development in Bukit Jalil, securing a temporary delay on its first phase from Kuala Lumpur City Hall (DBKL).
The decision follows an Aug 11 meeting between Bukit Jalil, Bandar Kinrara, and Taman Puncak Jalil residents’ groups, DBKL officials, the Kuala Lumpur mayor, and Federal Territories Minister Hannah Yeoh.
However, protest committee chairman Zainuddin Zainal said a pause on phase one was insufficient.
"When we say no, we say no to all," Zainuddin said at a briefing at Residensi Paraiso on Wednesday (Sept 16), adding that the developer had already cleared the first-phase site behind the Sirim building.
The committee has since prepared a 20-page memorandum, now signed by all 30 associations.
Their central complaint is that the project is marketed as affordable housing, but only 1,750 of the 17,000 units are priced at around RM200,000. The rest cost between RM390,000 and RM480,000.
"They only build 10% of low-cost houses in this development," said Zainuddin.
Residents argue the development boasts an excessive density of roughly 370 per acre —compared to 136 homes per acre at neighbouring Residensi Paraiso—and would add 51,000 people to an area already housing 210,000.
Severe traffic congestion is another core complaint.
A study cited in the memorandum found that the busiest stretch of the Bukit Jalil Highway carried nearly 4.8 million vehicles over 32 days in May and June.
"The Bukit Jalil highway is already too congested," Zainuddin said.
Other association leaders raised alarms over strained social infrastructure.
Taman LTAT RA chairman Abang Kamaruddin, 60, cited overcrowded schools capped at 45 students per class and public hospital wait times of three to four months for CT scans.
Paragon Heights RA chairman Loh Hock Lean, 61, rejected further high-rises due to daily gridlock near Sirim, saying, "Yeah, totally out. We don't want any more high-rise condo in our area."
Park Sky Residence management chairman Howard Ooi urged authorities to conduct comprehensive impact studies first.
"If not, our residents will all bear a huge burden," Ooi warned, adding that legal action remains an option.
Instead of housing, the committee wants the 23 government plots used for a train station, a public hospital, a school expansion, a flood pond, upgraded emergency services, and green space.
An online petition running until mid-October will precede the submission of the memorandum to Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim via Seputeh MP Teresa Kok outside Parliament. The proposed development, on government land in Mukim Petaling spanning 23 plots, would comprise 14,200 PR1MA units, 1,750 Residensi Madani units and 1,050 units for civil servants, in buildings of up to 40 storeys.
It also includes a vertical school, government offices, a police kiosk, a multipurpose hall, transport stops, a surau, retail lots, hawker space and, eventually, a health clinic.
On July 8, StarMetro reported that the first phase was expected to start construction in 2027 and be completed within three years, with the entire development spanning 22 years.
